Method of and apparatus for drying materials.



G. B. DAMON. METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING MATERIALS Patented Apr.10, 1917.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-2,1915.

i -ods of andApparatus rials, of which the following isla specification.

" of the method and eEoEeE E. DAMoN, oE BELVIDERE, NEW JERSEY, AssIefNmaTo ALLIsioIIALMEEs MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or MILWAUKEE, WIscoNsIN, AcoEPoEATIoN or DELAWARE.

METEoD or AND APPARATUS EOE IJEYING MATERIALS.

T0 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, GEORGE B. DAMoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Belvidere, in the county of WarrenV and State of New Jersey,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Methfor DryingMaterlhis invention relates to improvements in ia method of andapparatus for drying materials suchas pulverized rock, ore and llkematerials.

An 4object of the invention is to provide a Simple and efficient methodof drying materials. Another object is to provide a simple and themethod. A further object is to provide a -method of continuously dryingmaterial which will permit the use of drying apparatu's of minimum sizeproducing maximum output.

ln the presentmethod of drying, highly heated combustible gas is firstutilized to preliminarily-.heat and" partially dry the moist material,after which an oxidizing vagent is mixed with the gas and themixture isignited and burned. f The products of combustion resulting from suchburning are then utilized to` further heat and dry the material. f Aclear conception of the various steps of one form of apparatus forcarrying on the method may be had by referring to the following'specification 'and the drawing accompanying' and forming a part thereof,in which like reference charac ters designate the same or similar Apartsin the various views.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic, part secr tional elevation of a' drierplant.

Fig. 2 is an enlargedtransverse vertical sectionthrough the drier of theplant disclosed in Fig. 1, the section being takenN along the VlinelI-Il of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged end of the plant disclosed in Fig. 1, looking atthe material discharging end thereof.

The plant for carrying on the method, the subject of this invention,comprises essentially means for furnishing a -continuous supply of hotcombustible gas, and means for housing the material during the dryingeiicient apparatus for carryingonview ofthe drier Specicationof LettersPatent. Patntdl Apr-1, 1100, 1917., Application led August 2, 1915. ISerial No. 43,703. A

operation. The means for furnishing the continuous 'supply of hotcombustible gas is disclosed herein as a continuous gas producer 1,which may be of any of the well known types. The means forhousing thematerial during" drying is disclosed as a drier comprising an outerrotatable inclined shell 2 forming a conduit, and a central pipe 6carried by and forming a conduit Within the outer shell 2. i l rlheupper extremity of the inclined pipe 6 connects directly with thestationary gas feed pipe 8 which'leads from the upper portion of theproducer 1.v rThe-lower extremity of the inclined pipe 6 opens directlyinto the.- combustion chamber 10 formed at the lower end of the shell 2:The pipe 6 is secured centrally within the shell 2 by means of severalsets of radial braces. rlhe inner surface of` the shell 2 is providedwith a series of longitudinally extending agitating vanes or blades 11lwhich during rotation of the shell 2 lift the material and precipitateit through the annular space formed between the shell 2 and the pipe 6.

The shell 2 is .provided with suitable tread wings 15 which engagebearing rollers 17. The shell 2 is rotatable by means ofV l suitabledriving gearing 16 of usual construction. A stationary gas dischargehead v `head f1 and delivers moist material into the annular spaceybetween the pipe 6 and the shell 2. A stationary dry material dischargehead incloses the lower extremity of the inclined shell 2 and forms partof the wall of the combustion chamber 10. The discharge head 5 is adjustably supported upon stationary supporting rods 18 and has adownwardly directed discharge opening 9.

. The vertical end wall 12 of the head 5 has an vangularly adjustableplate 13 secured thereto. The plate 13 and end wall 12 are provided withalinable openings 14 for admitting variable quantities of 'air or otheroxidizing agent to the combustion chamber 10.. V

During the normal operation of the appauous supply of heated combustiblegas to the pipe 8 and central pipe 6. The shell Q and pipe 6 are rotatedby means of the driving gearing 16, and vthe material which is tobedried is fed continuously through the' hopper T and into the spacebetween the shell Q and the pipe 6. Due to the inclina-v tion of therotating shell 2, and also due to the lift-inoj and subsequentprecipitation of the material by the blades l1, the material isgraduallyv fed along the interior of the" shell 2 and toward thedischarge head 5.

The gas admitted to the pipe 6 from the producer l is drawn downwardlythrough the central pipe by the fan 3. As the combustible gas leaves thelower extremity of the pipe, 6 and enters the combustion chamber l0, itis mixed with a predetermined quantity of air sutlicient to producecomplete combustion and is automatically' ignited. r1`he highly heatedproducts of combustion produced bv the bui-nino` C of the gas, are drawnupwardly by the fan' 3, through the annular space between the liminarilyindirectly shellQ and pipe 6, thus coming into direct contact with thelmaterial passing downwardly through the shell 2. The gases of combustionafter entering the end of the head 4, are withdrawn and discharged bythe fan 3.

It will thus be seen that the material passing downwardly through theshell Q is preheated and partially dried by the hot combustible gaspassing from the producer l to the combustion chamber 10 through thepipe 6, after which the material is subsequently directly heated andfurther dried by the hot products of combustion passing from the chamber10 to the end head el. As the gases during combustion are expandedenormously, it will be noted thatthe cross-sectional area of the pipe 6as compared to that of the annular chamber surrounding the pipe may berelatively small. Both the cross sectional area ofthe. pipe 6 and thearea of the annular chamber surrounding the pipe may be madeconsiderably smaller than they would be in a drier operating under thepresent well known methods. The enormous heat generated duringcombustion also produces temperatures in the chamber surrounding thepipe 6 which will effectively drive ott and .substantially completelydry the material the suctionproduced by passing therethrough. By meansof the relatively adjustable plates 1'2, 13, and of the`ali1iableopenings 14, the amount ot' lair or exact steps of the processdescribed or to the exact details of construction of the apparatus shownand described, for obvious modifications may occur to a person skilledin the art.

It is yclaimed and desired ters Patent:

1. The method of drying material which comprises, utilizing heatedcombustible gas derived from a source independent of the material toheat the material, and burning said gas and further heating the materialwith the products of combustion. I

2. The method of drying material which comprises. utilizing heatedcombustible gas to indirectly heat the material, and subsequentlyburning said gas and directly additionally heating the material with theproducts of combustion.

3. The method of drying material which to secure by Let- -comprises,passing the material through a conduit, producing a flow of heatedcombustible gas derived from a source independent ot' the material alongthe material to heat the same, and burning said gas and further heatingthe material with the products ot' combustion.

4. The method of drying material which comprises, passing the materialthrough an inclosed conduit, producing a continuous flow of heatedcombustible gas through said conduit to preliminarily heat saidmaterial. burning the gas and passing the products of combustion alongthe material to further heat the salne.

5. In combination, means for furnishing a continuous supply of hotcombustible gas. means `for conveying said gas in proximity to thematerial to be dried. means for producing combustion ot' said gas. andmeans for conveying the products of combustion along the material.

In testimony whereof, the signature ot` the inventor is affixed hereto.

GEORGE B. D tnox.

